Whether Covetousness Is a Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that covetousness is not a sin. For
covetousness (_avaritia_) denotes a certain greed for gold (_aeris
aviditas_),* because, to wit, it consists in a desire for money,
under which all external goods may be comprised. [*The Latin for
covetousness _avaritia_ is derived from _aveo_ to desire; but the
Greek _philargyria_ signifies literally "love of money": and it is to
this that St. Thomas is alluding (cf. A. 2, Obj. 2)]. Now it is not a
sin to desire external goods: since man desires them naturally, both
because they are naturally subject to man, and because by their means
man's life is sustained (for which reason they are spoken of as his
substance). Therefore covetousness is not a sin.
Obj. 2: Further, every sin is against either God, or one's neighbor,
or oneself, as stated above (I-II, Q. 72, A. 4). But covetousness is
not, properly speaking, a sin against God: since it is opposed
neither to religion nor to the theological virtues, by which man is
directed to God. Nor again is it a sin against oneself, for this
pertains properly to gluttony and lust, of which the Apostle says (1
Cor. 6:18): "He that committeth fornication sinneth against his own
body." In like manner neither is it apparently a sin against one's
neighbor, since a man harms no one by keeping what is his own.
Therefore covetousness is not a sin.
Obj. 3: Further, things that occur naturally are not sins. Now
covetousness comes naturally to old age and every kind of defect,
according to the Philosopher (Ethic. iv, 1). Therefore covetousness
is not a sin.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Heb. 13:5): "Let your manners be
without covetousness, contented with such things as you have."
_I answer that,_ In whatever things good consists in a due measure,
evil must of necessity ensue through excess or deficiency of that
measure. Now in all things that are for an end, the good consists in
a certain measure: since whatever is directed to an end must needs be
commensurate with the end, as, for instance, medicine is commensurate
with health, as the Philosopher observes (Polit. i, 6). External
goods come under the head of things useful for an end, as stated
above (Q. 117, A. 3; I-II, Q. 2, A. 1). Hence it must needs be that
man's good in their respect consists in a certain measure, in other
words, that man seeks, according to a certain measure, to have
external riches, in so far as they are necessary for him to live in
keeping with his condition of life. Wherefore it will be a sin for
him to exceed this measure, by wishing to acquire or keep them
immoderately. This is what is meant by covetousness, which is defined
as "immoderate love of possessing." It is therefore evident that
covetousness is a sin.
Reply Obj. 1: It is natural to man to desire external things as means
to an end: wherefore this desire is devoid of sin, in so far as it is
held in check by the rule taken from the nature of the end. But
covetousness exceeds this rule, and therefore is a sin.
Reply Obj. 2: Covetousness may signify immoderation about external
things in two ways. First, so as to regard immediately the
acquisition and keeping of such things, when, to wit, a man acquires
or keeps them more than is due. In this way it is a sin directly
against one's neighbor, since one man cannot over-abound in external
riches, without another man lacking them, for temporal goods cannot
be possessed by many at the same time. Secondly, it may signify
immoderation in the internal affection which a man has for riches
when, for instance, a man loves them, desires them, or delights in
them, immoderately. In this way by covetousness a man sins against
himself, because it causes disorder in his affections, though not in
his body as do the sins of the flesh.
As a consequence, however, it is a sin against God, just as all
mortal sins, inasmuch as man contemns things eternal for the sake of
temporal things.
Reply Obj. 3: Natural inclinations should be regulated according to
reason, which is the governing power in human nature. Hence though
old people seek more greedily the aid of external things, just as
everyone that is in need seeks to have his need supplied, they are
not excused from sin if they exceed this due measure of reason with
regard to riches.
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